I'm new but I really don't get the fancy salts. I guess if you have a small tank or have endless pockets but IO is used by so many that have nice tanks.
The most important variables that guides you into choosing the right SALT MIX
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Number one for me is the listed chemistry (and consistency in the chemistry). After that, I care how available it is to me b/c I want to be able to buy the same one every time I need it. Cost and clean mix are after those first two priorities.
Mr. Mojo Rising
5000 Club Member
All these threads about different salt mix’s are very informative. I never knew there could be so much difference in salts. Honestly I chose Coral Pro just because it had the words “coral pro” and it was the most expensive so to me means the best, basically pure ignorance. I will make more informed decisions on my salt choices going forward.
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1,3,5
I have good consistency with IO.
Also with some major aquariums using it, I figured they would know better than me.
I have good consistency with IO.
Also with some major aquariums using it, I figured they would know better than me.
Unitylover
Valuable Member
1,3,4
I use Instant ocean (standard) because the parameters are good, it is cheap, and i can get it anywhere
I use Instant ocean (standard) because the parameters are good, it is cheap, and i can get it anywhere
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Chem, live stock, availability for me!
There are certain things i won't skimp on, and salt is one.
There are certain things i won't skimp on, and salt is one.
I'm not super concerned with how clean the salt mixes. Looking back on several tank of the month threads many run IO or another cheap salt. I think it's far more important what you do with that salt water once it's in your tank, and any "contaminates" found in salt are always either mystery substances that can't be attributed to detrimental livestock health or are bacterial growth/metabolism of precipitates. Cost is a decent factor - I just can't afford to spend 150 a bucket for a slight increase in quality. The number one factor is consistency between buckets and whether or not it's close to where I run my reef.
Consistency for me. The rest does not matter, although what I do use is cheap, so maybe that would change if I paid more.
I can make the salt the way that I like it with some acid and calcium chloride, so parameters don't matter at all to me.
It amazes me the lengths that people will go through for lots of things in this hobby, yet most do not want to take a one-time 10-15 minutes to figure out how to doctor up their salt mix to be perfect for them. The application after this is less than a minute each time. This is not hard. This is one of the most basic foundational things in the hobby and most cannot be bothered with it.
I can make the salt the way that I like it with some acid and calcium chloride, so parameters don't matter at all to me.
It amazes me the lengths that people will go through for lots of things in this hobby, yet most do not want to take a one-time 10-15 minutes to figure out how to doctor up their salt mix to be perfect for them. The application after this is less than a minute each time. This is not hard. This is one of the most basic foundational things in the hobby and most cannot be bothered with it.
evrydayzawrkday
Active Member
For myself it is reliable, clean salt. What does this mean?
reliable salt is stuff that is properly, and reliability balanced with trace elements, and clean being that after I let my PMUP+Heater run for 8 hours it has no residue thereafter.
reliable salt is stuff that is properly, and reliability balanced with trace elements, and clean being that after I let my PMUP+Heater run for 8 hours it has no residue thereafter.
Unitylover
Valuable Member
when the average person does a water change, they dont change all the water. it wont be too high of an alk.
Alexraptor
Well-Known Member
Initially it was availability, now I just stick with what works.
I've been using Red Sea Coral Pro for years now, works well for my corals. When I do a water change I simply skip dosing that day to account for the slight swing in the inflated parameters. If I'm starting out with a new tank or doing a large scale water change, I just let it mix over night and let the elevated values precipitate out.
I've been using Red Sea Coral Pro for years now, works well for my corals. When I do a water change I simply skip dosing that day to account for the slight swing in the inflated parameters. If I'm starting out with a new tank or doing a large scale water change, I just let it mix over night and let the elevated values precipitate out.
brendanw44
New Member
Yes. The cheaper the better.
LPS Bum
Well-Known Member
Price, Price, and (just for the sake of variety) Chemistry. So 1,1, and 3.
Honestly, all the major name brands are pretty good these days. I use Reef Crystals, because it's (relatively) inexpensive, always available, and it mixes up a bit higher in calcium and alkalinity.
Honestly, all the major name brands are pretty good these days. I use Reef Crystals, because it's (relatively) inexpensive, always available, and it mixes up a bit higher in calcium and alkalinity.
How the Corals react #1. Mixing clean and consistency. Price isn’t a factor, the coral I’m keeping is a lot pricier than the salt. With that said I’m using TMPro. I’ve been using it for 10 yrs and I won’t be switching.
Cost and availability I guess. I've only ever used reef crystals for the past 12 years and never saw a reason to switch away from it. It was cheap and available.
I am planning on switching to regular instant ocean however, because I don't want the extra alk/cal that's in reef crystals, so I guess the chemistry is a guiding factor for that as well now. But until I started dosing trace elements and such manually, the specific chemistry didn't matter at all to me.
I am planning on switching to regular instant ocean however, because I don't want the extra alk/cal that's in reef crystals, so I guess the chemistry is a guiding factor for that as well now. But until I started dosing trace elements and such manually, the specific chemistry didn't matter at all to me.
ying yang
2500 Club Member
1. 4. 5. I choose.
1 is cost as dont feel the need to pay anymore than need to pay if does the job.so get 10x2kg bags of regular io as cheaper than a 20kg bucket,plus 1x2kg bag makes up exactly 50 litres of 1.025 sg water so use 2x 25 litre drums of rodi each wc so just easier
4 is how readily available it is,I read if change salt doesn't matter that much and no harm done but just seems right to keep using same salt, so my regular instant ocean always available via amazon.
5.how the livestock responds to it,as in number 1,I read all salts will do the job so no need pay more and if no contaminate or something going wrong with the salt ( like possible/suspected problems with tropic marin turkey salt where giving refunds) then all salts seem to be fit for purpose.
I read alot want their salt to be as close to their parameters they run tank at but read also when tank starts getting packed with corals that uptake alk/cal then need to dose anyway even if salt mix is close to parameters you want and can add stuff to newly made saltwater to raise or lower a parameter taking only a minute or so as already been mentioned in this thread.
So only new at 15 months owning a reef tank and tank not full of really expensive corals but also as already mentioned some really nice tanks with expensive "high end corals" use regular io salt so if good enough for those beautiful tanks then good enough for my humble tank ^_^
1 is cost as dont feel the need to pay anymore than need to pay if does the job.so get 10x2kg bags of regular io as cheaper than a 20kg bucket,plus 1x2kg bag makes up exactly 50 litres of 1.025 sg water so use 2x 25 litre drums of rodi each wc so just easier
4 is how readily available it is,I read if change salt doesn't matter that much and no harm done but just seems right to keep using same salt, so my regular instant ocean always available via amazon.
5.how the livestock responds to it,as in number 1,I read all salts will do the job so no need pay more and if no contaminate or something going wrong with the salt ( like possible/suspected problems with tropic marin turkey salt where giving refunds) then all salts seem to be fit for purpose.
I read alot want their salt to be as close to their parameters they run tank at but read also when tank starts getting packed with corals that uptake alk/cal then need to dose anyway even if salt mix is close to parameters you want and can add stuff to newly made saltwater to raise or lower a parameter taking only a minute or so as already been mentioned in this thread.
So only new at 15 months owning a reef tank and tank not full of really expensive corals but also as already mentioned some really nice tanks with expensive "high end corals" use regular io salt so if good enough for those beautiful tanks then good enough for my humble tank ^_^
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